Mechanical musical instrument.



J. A. WESER. MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. l APPLICATION FILED APB. 30, 1907. V 923,225. Patented June 1, 1909.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 1 J. A. WESER. MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. APPLIOATION FILED APB. 30, 1907.

Patented June 1,1909.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Mill/IN IW/I IH I @UHU J. A. WBSER. MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. APPLIUATION FILED APB. 30, 1907.

' Patented June 1,1909.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3. 4 rg J`l FWBSER. ,MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLIOATIN FILED APR. 30, 1907.

Patented June 1, 1909.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

' J. A..v WESER. MECHANICAL MUSICAL INST RaENT. APPLIOATION- FILED APB. 30, 1907.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

vPatented June 1, 1909.

J. A. WESER. MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. APPLIATION FILED APB- 30, 1907. 923,225. Patented June 1,1909.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

NW I HHN,...

.10 a art hereof.

:goof/this. general character the feeder bellows co1nbine both the motor operated bellows l trolled. ,Eurthermorm it has been found ello\\"ssoA that the function of tie foot "fofl automatic,expression devices to pneu 150` beyond which thereduetion of force for pii -f `automatieplaying,"provisi in is now made for lvolver-l.so,thatthereduction of force to the f STATES PATENT OFFICF.

JoHNA. WEsEn, oF NEW YORK, N. Y.

z-iNQ'.. 923,225.,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented .Tune 1, 1909.

Application med April so, 1907. serial No. 371,033.

f Beitknown .thatL JonNA. Wnsnn, a citi* zen ofthe United States, vresidingin*the borough'of Manhattan, -of the city of New York,

5 :inthe-State of New York, have invent-ed certain lnewanduseful; Improvements in Me- Vchanical'MusicalInstruments, of which the following .is a specification, reference being` yhad to the accompanyingdrawings, forming his invention relates ,generally to auto- `matic ianos or other musical instruments .inwhic 1- power for operating the. various mechanic'alI parts of the instrument is Aderived 15' from feeder bellows.

y Itv 'is-particularly? concerned with the dex vices Aby `which expression is controlled, eitherdirectly orindirectly, and with the connections therefor.l In some instruments have beenv operated by motors,.such as an `electric motor, while'. infsome cases the feeder x bellows fare operatedby foot power. In' the .presentcas'e ithasbeen found desirable to and thefootpower bellows,particularly as z' the operation. oftheI foot power bellows, in `:sup ilcmentto the motor operated bellows, enables .the expression to be better conadvisable, in order that the. .desired result may beproduced, tomake. theactionof the foot )row-er bellows to a certainlextent inde- 'ir-indent, of thef action of the motor operated i. ower bellows, as an expression device, can

e l'ullyrealized.. .Moreoveiy while in Let- :ters `latent ofthe United States No. 648,717 dated -Ma'` 1,' 1900, means are shown and 40broadly1claimed for controlling expression .i automatically, toa greater or less extent, in a mechanical musicalinstrument, improved `meansare now provided t'orthe samev `eneral purpose and, as in the practicalapplication maticpniusical vinstruments of the general ".character.referred to, particularly these in whichexhaustorvacuumpressureismadeuse yof ,as a motive power, there is a danger point anissimopassages cannot becarried without 'renderlng possible .the complete cessation of pro'tectingthe `opfvration of the devices ini. danger.point` cannot take` place. All of these desirable results and others, more or less incidental thereto, as will be pointed out hereinafter, are attained by the construetion and combination of parts substantially as will be described hereinafter and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which, for -the purpose of'illustrating and explaining the nature of the invention, 'the present improvements are shown as e1n odied in a convenient and practiealstructure.

In the drawings-Fiure l is a view in front elevation, with a portion ofthe front of the casing removed and with various parts not Vnecessary to an understanding of the invention removed, of a mechanical piano which embodies the invention. Fig. 2 is a View in front elevation of some of the 'warts shown in Fig 1, but on a larger scale. lTig. 3 is a view in vertical section of the parts shown iz. Figs. l. and 2 on a lane indicated by the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, loo ring toward the. right. Fig. 4 is a similar view in section on the plane. indicated by the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. Figs. 5-14 are detail views of various parts tobe referred to. Fig. 15 is a detail view illustrating a possible means of controlling one of the expression valves.

ln the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings the piano strings a. are struck by hammers a" operated, under the control of suitable selective devices not shown, by hammer pneumatics a2 actuated by exhaust or vacuum pressure transmitted throughv suitable wind-ways, header a3, connecting pipe 7J, valve box c and Wind chest c from main or reservoir bellows c2, having a movable bellows member c3. Exhaust or vz'cuum pressure is created in the main bellows c2 by feeder bellows c4 o 'erated, as usual, by pedal. mechanism c5. r ll of the arts thus far referred to are constructed an( operated in any usual or suitable manner and need not be further described herein.

In addition to the exhaust or vacuum pressurefcreating means arranged to be operated by the performer there is also provided a motor operated exhaust or vacuum pressure-creating means represented in the present inst-ance by a series ol small or sup* ple-mentary feeder bellows d operated through the medium of a crank shaft d', pulleys d2, d

ows is greater than that produced b nections, with ,the hammer pneumatics a and other working parts of the mechanism. 'At some convenient oint between the motor operated .bellows ci) and the connection to the wind chest ci', as at e, there is'provided a check valve e, shown in detail in Fig. 8, and comprising, as there shown, a simple flap valve cooperating with the end of the windway e. This check valve openstoward the foot operated bellows. The motor operated bellows are therefore in operative connection with the rest of the mechanism 'only when the exhaust or vacum' pressure of the motor operated bellws is greater than that in the wind chest c', while if the exhaust or vacuum pressure producedby the'foot operated bilt e motor operated bellows the check va ve e* immediately closes and cutsv ofr the motor operated bellows so that the footoperated bellows shall not' draw air through the motor operated bellows and so thatvthe full effect of a strong or powerful actionof the foot operated bellows in accenting certain notes or in performing fortissimo passages is unaffected.

In'Lette'rs Patent No. 648,717, above mentioned, the variation oftone,in loudness or l ferred to. y

- thus rotates slowly and, as it rotates, opens more or less4 thefvalve f and thus varies the softness, is produced by varying directly the action of the sound-producing means, one of the modified embodiments of the broad invention combining a valve with the feeder bellows so that the action of such bellows upon the playing devices is varied more or less by va ing the communication of ksuch bellows wit atmospheric air. In Ithe present case a similar provision is made, a valve f, shown in Figs. 5 and 6, being arranged to control communication between the wind- Way d of the bellows d and atmos heric air through4 an air-way f.. The va ve f, as shown, is rovided with a lstern or link f through wich'the position'of the valve is controlled. ln the embodiment of the broad` invention illustrated in such Letters Patent No. 648,717, the valve which corresponds to" the 'valve f of the present case is controlled by devices which act somewhat slowly and permit but infrequent variations. In the present case, greater or more frequent variation of the sound-producing means, as controlled by the valve f, is made possible by the devices about to' be described. The lvalve stem or link f2 is connected to an extension fd (which is made elastic in order to produce a better eHect) of a lever f4, which is suitably pivoted and is arranged to cooperate, at its other end, with an express1oncamf5, which is mounted u on a shaft f driven through a worm gear j" d) Fig. 3, from'a counter shaft f which in turn is driven by suitable means, such as a belt and pulleys r, from the shaft d', above rehe expression wheel or cam f5 est shown in.

force of the sound-producing means and therefore the loudness or softness of the tone o'r sound produced. The expression cam or wheel f5 can be readily detached from its f which in turn controls, in the usual manner, the ordinary loud or sostenuto pedal.

l In order that the expression, as affected by the action ofthe motor operated bellows d, may also be under the control of the performer, the lever f4 may also be rovided with an armfu which is connected v a link f with a rock shaft 17, the handle f" 0f which is conveniently ocated below the keyboard. When greater force or louder tone is desired the handle or lever f1 ismoved froin left to right, thus raisin the arm fl* andmoving the' other arm o the lever from the cam wheel f and increasing t e tension or rod f and valve f as desired. Thus by the proper movement of the lever f 18 theautomatic expression device can be thrown out of operation and greater'or less tension can be dput on the valvef to vary the tone as desire As indicated hereinbefore the wide opening of the valve f might take place at such a time or be so long continued asto bring to a cessation the operation of the instrument. To revent'such accidental stopping vof the per ormance there is provided or the expression devices a protecting. device which acts to prevent the reduction of the motive force below such danger point, such protector or protecting device being governed in itsaction by the variations of the pressure, vacuumv or otherwise, which directly determines the operation of working parts of the instrument, such as the hammer pneumatics. As the main bellows c2 is directly responsive to such working pressure, the movable board c3 is made to control the action of this protecting device. As shown in the drawings there is mounted in suitable bearin s in tlietrame a rock shaft g, one arm gof which has a finger g2 which projects into .the path of movement of the movable bellows member c3, so that when such bellows is nearly expanded to its maximum, as will be the case when the working ressure is near its minimum', it will strike t e finger g2 and rock the shaft g. An arm g3 at the other end of the shaft g extends below the arm f 3- of the leverf4 and when theshaft is rocked, as gust described, the arm g3 lifts the arm f a an closes the valvef against the weight of the con'ncct'edparts (whichmaybe supplemente'd'bya"sp1ingil` desired) which weight tnd's to``o 'ien the valve f. Accordingly, whenever the working pressure t'allsnearly to the danger )oir t the Ivalvej'wil'l be closed,

regardless 'of the' action of the' expression de- Avice, and the'i'in'intended stopping of the performance throughy an excessive reduci ion of working pressure will'be prevented.

`In'o'rdlerthat the playing ol' the instrument may be ina-de continuouslylouder or softer or varied as may be desired there is mounted in a suitable position beneaththe keyboard a rock shaft h provided with a suitable handle ,'t and with. an arm 71.2 which in -turn isconnectedby a link h3 with a so- `calledvfentv valve h4 `disposed in a valve box h5 andjf-arranged to control communication between* the motor bellows d and the airway e; theopening of the valve by admittingl atmos'pherie pressure through the pipe hx, a'spus'ual, reducing the Working tension and making the tone softer. The reduction of ltension is not sutlicient under ordinary conditionsfto cause the check valve e2 to close. Underfsome circumstances the reductioh` of tension by this means might reduce the Working tension vbelow the dancer point and render ponible the unintendec stopping of 430 the `,perfolmance .'lo guard against` this there isK provided a protector` for the expression valvefh4 which,` being responsive to the variations Aofv the working tension, will close the air-way to the valve h4 from the pipe L-X 35 Wheneverthe tensionapproaches the dang,er'p(` ii'1t.vt As shown, a protector valve h is ari'anoe"` l}in`tl1e valve borh5 to control the hrough thevalve 7b4 and is connectink k7 to an arm h8 on the shaft g l10fwhich, as before described, is rocked on its axis whenever', through an excessive reduc,-

tion ofg'tension in the bellows c2, the movable boardfc'tthereof moves outward toward its cxtrei-nel position. Such reduction of-worli- 4 5 ing tension and movcinentfuoi the7 'board `closes the valve 7L and prevents the reduction of* tension 4below the danger point. AThe valves h4 and h", with their immediate connections, are shown in detail in Figs. 10, 11, and 12. The valve i mayalso be controlled inioperation, to vary the tone,"by the music-[sheet itself, illustratel in .Fig. `15. In the construction there shown the musicl sheet i, operated in the usual manner, is provided with apertures i', fifgadaptedrto coopcrate ywith corresponding apertures c, ft, 'respecti `ely, in the tracker board c. The apertures-JC Iand c2 communicate respectively, through tubes ctandc, with tle opposite,exhaust` chamborsl and Z" of i douille y pneumatic t., The-two movable boards l and. Z4 of this 4pneumatic eooperatefw'ith buta 'tons Z5 and Z onthe rod 7b3. It a-penforation 4on oneside ol' the music sheet, as t', iegs- 6ft-ters with the' corresponding aperture 7c in the. tracker board c, the corresponding pneuunatic, as Z, is collapsed and the rod 7b3 is shil'icd to open or close the valve h4 as the case may be. As the valve 7i is a slide valve its easy movement -is not atiectcd by variations in bellows pressure and it remainsn the position in which it'is left until it is again moved in the manner descrilud.y

For convenience in construction and in assembling the )arts of the instrument, various iortions, suol is the' 'valve box c and the header u, or the wind box e and the valve boxe are connected b tubes, as l) and e respectively. These tu es must be `tightly packed to )revent leakage and they should also be readily capable of longitudinal movement for convenience in assembling the parts. Ordinarily the packing is effected by a leather lining for the holes through which the tubesare extended, but such lining dries out and permits more or less leakage. This .difficulty is overcome in the aresent case, as illustrated in Figs. 13and 14, y providinof at each 'joint between the tube b and the wall of .the wind box or Wind trunk, as the case may be, a soft rubber gasket b', which fits closely about the tube and is vclam ed by the wall b?, b3 of the wind boX or trun and a washer bt held by screws b5 to the wall so that the gasket can be com rcssed more or less. 'The openings througi the wall and through the washer are preferably made somewhat larger than the diameter of the pipe so that whenthe gasket is compressed it will expand into the space between tl". pi e and -the wall or washer and thereby ma "e a. tight joint. This joint permits the tube. to be moved endwise as may be required and, if at any time the joint leaks, it can readily be made tight by setting up the screws to compressthe gasket somewhat more.

The piano illustrated in the drawings is shown as havingr a' single foot operated bellows, but it 'will be o vious that the Wellknown arrangement oll loud and'soft bellows might be provided forA lt will also be. understood that various other changes in details ot construction and arrangement 'can be made aecin'ding to the requirements of' various instruments and that the invention, therefore, is not to be restricted to the precise construction shown and describedherein.

I claim as myinvention:

l. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of playing devices, foot operated bellows in operative relation therewith and independent motor operated bellows also in operative relation therewith, whereby notes may be accented by the foot operated bellows, while the instrument is operated by the motor operated bellows.l

2. In a mechanical instrument, the :combination of playing devices, foot operated bellows in operative relation therewith, inde.-

. operated bellows and the playing devices md opening toward the motor operated belows.

4. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of playing devices, a wind chest in operative relation therewith, foot 0 erated bellows connected to the wind c est and independent motor o erated bellows also connected to the wind c est,`where by notes may be accented by the foot operated bellows, while the instrument is opei'- ated by the motor operated bellows.

5. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of playing devices, a wind chest in o erative relation therewith, foot o erated ellows connected to the wind c est, independent Jmotor o erated bellows also connected to the wind c iest'and means to cut of? 'communication between the wind chest and the motor o erated bellows when the working force of tlle foot operated bellows exceeds that of the latter.

6. In a mechanical lmusical instrument, the combinationl of playing devices, a'. wind chest in` o erativeielation therewith foot o erated ellows connected to the wind c iest, independent motor operated bellows also connected to the wind chest, and a check valve interposed between the motor operated bellows'and the wind chest and opening toward the motor operated bellows.

v7. In a mechanical musical instrument', the combination of playing devices, bellows 'in operative relation therewith, means for varying the tension produced by the bellows and independent means controlled by the tension produced by the bellows to. revent the reduction ofthe tension produced) by the bellows below a predetermined minimum.

8. In a mechanical vmusical instrument, the combination of playing devices, bellows in operative relation therewith, a valve to control the, tension produced by said bellows, expression devices to control said valve and in ependent means to act upon said valve and prevent the reduction of the tension produced by the bellows below a niinimum.

9. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of laying devices, bellows and connections inc uding a device moving with the variations in the tension produced predetermined duced by the bellows below a predetermined produced by the bellows 10. In a mechanical instrument, the combination of playing devices, main bellows in operative relation therewith, feeder bellows connected to the main bel lows; means for va the tension produced by the feeder ows and independ ent means controlled by the movement of the main bellows to prevent the reduction of the tension produced by the feeder bellows below a predetermined minimum.

11. In a mechanical musical instrument,

the combination of playing devices, main bellows in operative relation therewith, feeder bellows connected to the main bellows, a valve regulating the admission of atmpspheric air to the connection between the feeder bellows and the main bellows to control the tension produced by said feeder bellows, ex ression devices to control said valve an means actuated by the main bellows to control the valve independently of the eX ression devi-ces.

12. n a mechanical musical instrument,

the combination of playing devices, main bellows in operative relation therewith, feeder bellows connected to the main bellows, a valve regulating the admission of atmospheric air to the connection between the feeder bellows and the niain bellows to control the tension produced by the feeder bellows, expression devices to control said valve, and a rock shaft having an arm in the path of movement of the movable member of the main bellows and connections from said rock shaft to said valve to control the same independently of the expression ldevices.

13. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of playing devices, bellows in operative relation therewith, a valve to control the tension produced by said bellows a'nd a rotating cam disk and intermediate devices to act upon said valyfe to vary the tension produced by the bellows'.

14. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of pla ing devices, bellows in operative relation therewith, a valve to control the tension produced by said bellows, a rotating cam disk and intermediate devices to act upon said valve to vai' the tension produce by the bellows, an means controlledl by thetension reduced by the bellows te prevent the re uction of the tension below a predetermined minimum.

15. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of playing devices, bellows in operative relation therewith, a valve .to

"control the .tension produced by said bellows,

a rotating cam disk and 'intermediate devices to act u onsaid valve to vary the tension produce by the bellows, and means controlled by the tension produced by the bellowsto vact upon said valve independently of va cam disk and intermediate de vices to act upon said valve to varythe tension produced by the bellows `and hand operated devices to act upon the valve independently of the cam disk. A

17. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of playing devices, bellows inoperative relation therewith, a valvev to control the tension produced by said bellows, a lever connected at one end with said valve and a rotating cam disk acting upon said lever.

18. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of pla ing devices, bellows in operative relation t erewith, a valve to control the tension produced by said bellows, a lever having an elastic arm connected to said valve and a rotating cam disk acting uponsaid lever.

19. In' a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of playing devices, bellows in operative relation therewith, a valve to control the tension produced by said bellows, a cam disk and intermediate devices to actupon said valve to 'ary the tension produced vbyr the bellows, means controller by the tension reduced by the bellows to act upon 'said va ve independently of the cam disk,

the combination of laying devices, bellows and connections inc uding a device moving with variation in the tension produced by the bellows, handyoperated means to regulate the tension produced by the bellows, and independent means controlled by said last named device to prevent the reduction of the tension produced by the bellows lxlow a predetermined minimum.

22. In a mechanical musical instrument,

` the combination of playing devices, main bellows-inoperative relation therewith, feeder bellows `connected to the main bellows',-

hand operated means to regulate the tension produced by the feeder bellows, and independent means coiitrolled by the main bel- )ws to prevent the reduction of the tension produced by-the bellows belowiapredetermined minimum. i

- 23. In a mechanical musical instrument,

the combination of playing devices, main bellows in operative relation therewith, feeder 1 bellows connected tofthe main bellows, a valve to regulate the tension produced by the feeder bellows, a second valve to control the air-way through the first valve, and connections whereby the second valve is controlled from the main'bellows.

24. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of pla ing devices, bellows .in operative relation t ierewith, a'valve to control the tension (produced vby saidbel-l expression devices tolows, motor o crate act upon sai Vvalve, and independent devices to hold said valve continuously' closed.

25. In a mechanical,musicalinstrumenia the combination of playing devices, a windchest, main or reservoir bellows, foot-operated feeder bellows in operative relation with the main or reservoir bellows, and independent motor o erate'd bellows also in o erative relation wit i1 said main or `reservoir iellows. 26. I n n. mechanical musical instrument, the combination of playing devices, a windchest, main or reservoir bellows, `foot operated feeder bellows in o erative relation with the main or reservoir bellows, independent motoroperated bellows also in operative relation with said main or reservoir bellows, and means to cut ofi communication between the foot o erated bellows and the motor operated bel ows when the working force of the former exceeds that of the latter. l

27. In a mechanical musical instrument,

the combination of playing devices, a windchest, main or reservolr bellows, foot operated feeder bellows in o )erative relation with the main or reservoir ielloris, independent motor operated bellows also in operative relation with said main or reservoir bellows',

and a check valve interposed between Vthe 'motor operated bellows and the playing devices and opening toward the motor operated bellows. g

28. In a mechanical musicalinstrunient,

the combination of playing devices, a windchest, main or reservoir bellows, foot operated feeder bellows in operative relation with the main or reservoir 'the combination of playing devices,a windellows, independent g 'motor operated bellows also in operative rechest, main or reservoir bellows, foot oper- This specification signed and witnessed ated feeder bellows in o erative relation with this 27th dssy of April', A. D., 1907. I the main or reservoir bellows, independent n *f motor operated bellows also in operative re- JOHN iA.

5 lation with said main or reservoir bellows, and independent means to prevent the re- Signed in the resence of dction of tension in either of said bellows CONRAD AINS,

below a predetermined minimum. -v U A SAMUEIL GO0TENBERG. 

